Do you want to experience the majestic art of Chinese calligraphy? In this workshop you can learn the basics of this artistic expression. After an informative introduction to the calligraphy equipment, styles and techniques, you will learn how to write Chinese characters. A master calligrapher supervises you and shows you how to grip the brush, dip the ink, and properly make the eight basic strokes. Once you have mastered these, you can write complete Chinese characters. If you like, you can learn how to write your name in Chinese. As a souvenir and documentation of participating in the Chinese calligraphy program, you may take your favorite pieces of calligraphy home to show friends and family!

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Chinese Calligraphy

9:00 to 9:10 AM:

Gather at the hotel and prepare for pick up.

9:30 AM:

Arrival at the Chinese calligraphy program center.

9:45 to 10:45 AM:

Learn about Chinese calligraphy, its history, and the different writing styles.

10:45 to 11:50 AM:

Practice writing your own calligraphy under the guidance of our expert calligraphers. We encourage creativity!

11:50 AM to Noon:

Return to the hotel and conclude the journey.

Chinese Calligraphy

● Bilingual (English and Chinese) guides who are passionate about sharing and teaching Chinese calligraphy.

● Presentation on the history and varieties of Chinese calligraphy.

● Demonstration on how to write Chinese calligraphy.

● Drinking water.

● Transportation to and from the destination.

Chinese Calligraphy

You'll get to experience what China, from days of old to present, consider one of the highest forms of art—Chinese Calligraphy. In this program you will learn about the range of techniques and artistic trends in Chinese calligraphy's history. These differences can be as simple as square-like and rigid forms all the way up to highly abstract and highly expressionist styles that are undecipherable even to some native Chinese. This goes to show that words and meaning are not absolutely essential to the appreciation of Chinese calligraphy; howerever, on the other hand, knowing the meaning of the characters is definitely an advantage when they are readable. One of the most unique features of Chinese calligraphy is that verbal and visual imagery merge into one entity. One thing you will walk away knowing is that Chinese characters have a set stroke order, which means everybody will write characters in the same order of strokes. We will teach you this order and logic as it is uniform across all characters.

As you write, you’ll notice that by controlling the concentration of ink, the thickness and absorptivity of the paper, and the flexibility of the brush, you are able to produce countless varieties of styles and forms. In contrast to western calligraphy, diffusing ink blots and dry brush strokes are viewed as a natural impromptu expression, rather than a mistake. While Western calligraphy often encourages and pursues font-like uniformity, homogeneity of characters in one size is only a craft. To the artist, Chinese calligraphy is a mental exercise that coordinates the mind and the body to choose the best styling in order to express the content of the passage. It is a relaxing yet highly disciplined exercise intended for one's physical and spiritual well-being. Coincidently, many famous calligraphers have been well-known for their longevity. We hope that you will walk away with greater knowledge and experience about this ancient art form.

Chinese Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a cornerstone of Chinese culture. Having flourished over thousands of years, the writing of Chinese characters has developed into a highly specialized art form.

Chinese calligraphers seek to create written scripts that do not only look beautiful and elegant, but also contain their own unique style. Furthermore, they perceive calligraphy as an art that has a positive effect on a person's physical and spiritual well-being. Coincidently, many calligraphy artists in history were well-known for their longevity.

Practiced by more people than any other art, Chinese calligraphy can be found everywhere within China and its culture. It is present in many aspects of daily life. Billboards are often accompanied by bold expressions of calligraphy. It can be found as decoration in the rooms of typical Chinese homes and during celebrations, such as Chinese New Year.

Usually written on Xuan paper because of its high absorbency, a framed calligraphy can turn a plain wall into a showcase. It plays a pivotal role in the lives of Chinese people. A newborn baby's first photo album contains notes of congratulations written by relatives with brush and ink. When couples get married, their pillows are embroidered with characters in beautiful calligraphy style meaning double happiness. When someone passes away, inscriptions on their tombstones are usually engraved by a calligrapher.

As a tourist you will encounter calligraphy everywhere. In the parks and on the streets you will occasionally see local Chinese people writing characters on the street with super-sized brushes and water. In addition, if you take a close look, you will see a lot of characters engraved in the stones of houses, temples, and other buildings.